Crowdsourcing privacy settings

Abstract

The disclosed subject matter relates to a computer-implemented method including steps for aggregating privacy setting information for one or more networking associates, generating data based on the aggregated privacy setting information and providing a privacy setting recommendation for display to a user based on the data. Systems and computer-readable media are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 aggregating privacy setting information for a plurality of networking associates; 
 generating data based on the aggregated privacy setting information, the data comprising a first number of first networking associates of the plurality of networking associates that made a first selection with respect to a privacy setting and a second number of second networking associates of the plurality of networking associates that made a second selection different than the first selection with respect to the privacy setting; 
 providing for display a graphical representation indicating the first number of first networking associates relative to the second number of second networking associates with respect to the privacy setting, the graphical representation being displayed in association with user configurable privacy controls of the privacy setting; and 
 providing a privacy setting recommendation for display to a user based on the generated data, 
 wherein the plurality of networking associates comprises a minimum number of networking associates to obscure the selected privacy setting of any individual networking associate of the plurality of networking associates. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises statistical data, and
 wherein providing the privacy setting recommendation further comprises displaying the statistical data to the user based on detecting changes in privacy settings of the user. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the privacy setting recommendation comprises an indication of privacy settings selected by at least one of the plurality of networking associates. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein generating the statistical data is further based on a comparison of a profile of the user with one or more profiles of the plurality of networking associates. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of networking associates are social networking contacts of the user. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of networking associates share common demographic information with the user. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2 , wherein providing the statistical data for display to the user is based on a relationship between the user and at least one of the plurality of networking associates. 
     
     
       8. A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 a computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:
 aggregating privacy setting information for a plurality of networking associates; 
 generating statistical data based on the aggregated privacy setting information, the statistical data comprising a first number of first networking associates of the plurality of networking associates that made a first selection with respect to a privacy setting and a second number of second networking associates of the plurality of networking associates that made a second selection different than the first selection with respect to the privacy setting; 
 providing the statistical data for display to a user, in association with user configurable privacy controls of the privacy setting, the statistical data including a graphical representation indicating the first number of first networking associates relative to the second number of second networking associates with respect to the privacy setting; and 
 providing a privacy setting recommendation for display to the user based on the statistical data, 
 wherein the plurality of networking associates comprises a minimum number of networking associates to obscure the selected privacy setting of any individual networking associate of the plurality of networking associates. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein generating the statistical data is further based on a comparison of a profile of the user with one or more profiles of the plurality of networking associates. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of networking associates are social networking contacts of the user. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of networking associates share common demographic information with the user. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 8 , wherein providing the statistical data for display to the user is based on a relationship between the user and at least one of the plurality of networking associates, and the statistical data is provided for display only at particular times in relation to user tasks. 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 aggregating privacy setting information for a plurality of networking associates; 
 generating data based on the aggregated privacy setting information, the data comprising a first number of first networking associates of the plurality of networking associates that made a first selection with respect to a privacy setting and a second number of second networking associates of the plurality of networking associates that made a second selection different than the first selection with respect to the privacy setting; and 
 providing the data for display to a user, in association with user configurable privacy controls of the privacy setting, the data including a graphical representation indicating the first number of first networking associates relative to the second number of second networking associates with respect to the privacy setting, 
 wherein the data comprises a privacy setting recommendation for the user, 
 wherein the plurality of networking associates comprises a minimum number of networking associates to obscure the selected privacy setting of any individual networking associate of the plurality of networking associates. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the privacy setting recommendation comprises an indication of privacy settings selected by at least one of the plurality of networking associates. 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein generating the data is further based on a comparison of privacy settings selected by a subset of the plurality of networking associates with privacy settings selected by another subset of the plurality of networking associates. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of networking associates are social networking contacts of the user. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of networking associates share common demographic information with the user. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein providing the data for display to the user is based on a relationship between the user and at least one of the plurality of networking associates. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the privacy setting recommendation is displayed proximate to one or more of the user configurable privacy controls.